Birdsong
by badwolf-in-socks
Summary: The Doctor and Rose are involved in the tenuous political warfare of Tartun and are separated in the midst of an attack. What ensues for them is a tale of love against tradition and morals, and it makes them both re-evaluate their lives.
1. Prologue

Prologue

They hadn't sat in silence like this for some time. The soothing hum of the TARDIS seemed much louder than usual, as if the ship had a point to make, and even the Doctor was motionless, just staring into the console as if it would reveal something to him.

Rose slumped further into the battered plush of the jump-seat, propping her legs up on the console's rim and exhaling heavily. The motion made the Doctor's eyes flick over to her for a second, his features dark and unreadable, not entirely actually looking at his companion. The light in the room was dulled and it made the glow from the monitor in front of him colour his skin in an eerie green-blue. Kind of just reminding her of their differences, once more.

She tugged her hoodie down because it riding up her back a little, and then begin to inspect her nails, the need to say something and break this stupid silence between them now greater than ever. It filled her chest to the point of bursting.

'Funny how I was right about the prince all along wasn't it?' She didn't look at him as she said this, still examining her cuticles. It was meant to be mildly teasing, because she didn't exactly want to worsen the situation, but the Doctor was so hot-and-cold on her (especially lately) that she didn't always know just how to handle him. Her probe made his brows draw closer together until he was practically _scowling_ behind his shield of the console. His jaw tightened and he jabbed a few buttons with more force than necessary.

'Of course, _someone's _gotta do the talking-'

'_Rose.' _This time they looked at each other, really looked. Every lines of the Doctor radiated discomfort and tension as he was practically hunched over behind the monitor and a muscle was pumping in his jaw. She held their gaze for a little longer, seeing vulnerability, but wanting him to react. It seemed cruel, but with how he'd been playing with her emotions lately –courtesans, old-new faces and parallel worlds- Rose felt she _deserved_ to push him. Mickey had once commented that their relationship was a tad on the side of self-destructive. Maybe he was right.

Their connection broke as the Doctor looked away, pulling himself away from the warmth and glow of the TARDIS' metal-encased heart. He stood still stormy-faced, hands deep in the pockets of his coat.

He usually left that coat on one of the first struts near the door, Rose noted sadly. His long coat was his shield, much as his leather jacket has been before him. And he was wearing it with her in the room.

She sat up in the jump seat, her legs slipping from the console rim and landing on the grating with a metallic clang that resounded for a few seconds, mingling with the softer sounds of the Doctor's feet. Rose didn't look up, but she could sense he was about a couple of feet from her and he was staring, because the hairs on her nape came to life suddenly.

'Well, I'm sorry if I seemed to interfere, but I do recall a talk, oh, sometime last week, you know, about possible impending death and all that?' He crossed his arms and look pointedly.

'Hm?'

Rose looked at him again, but was staring off at a point just past his shoulder, and her brows were drawn. The Doctor leaned forward, and his voice was soft and imploring this time round.

'You're worried about how we behave.' It was a statement, not a question.

'I can understand that.' He straightened up, not really being truthful, and rubbing his neck in consideration. Of course, he could see the timelines, spindly threads the lot of them – and one particular one started from their encounter in 19th century Scotland. In their giddy earlier days, he just hadn't realized what they'd started. What it would mean for them both, in the end. Oh, there were a few different paths this could go, nothing was certain. But Rose knew, perceptive as she was.

She looked at him, and it was clear she didn't quite believe it.

'I _do_ understand,' the Doctor entreated, stepping closer and putting a hand on the back of the jump-seat. But she made a small noise even his hearing couldn't decipher.

'Sorry?'

'I said…I don't think you do, Doctor.'

'I-'

'I mean, how can you even stand there and say that?' Rose pushed herself forcefully up from the seat with her hands and took a few steps back. How _could_ he? How could he, just, assume he knew her and what she was trying to do for them both when he could so easily forget what they had and feel for somebody else?

It was quite clear from her clouded expression what her brain was ticking over about, and the Doctor, well, he wasn't gobsmacked as such –that was too strong a term really- but, he, well-

'I thought we discussed this,' he remarked, both looking and feeling quite confused.

Rose threw up her hands and turned around. 'Oh yeah, 'cause all we do is _discuss_, isn't it?' Oh great, the Doctor thought. Sarcasm, just what he ordered. He sighed sharply and began to speak but was cut off.

'I mean, when we got back from the bloody pit of the Devil-or-whatever itself, you couldn't wait to talk about, could you?' Her tone was getting on the side of out of control (but not quite hysterical, not yet anyway) but then she stopped pacing, struck by another thought.

'I don't even know what it was.' Now Rose looked as confused as he felt.

'I told you. Whatever _it _was, we beat it. Saved the humans,' he quipped, though feeling a pang of gnawing guilt at the lives he was too late for, 'stopped a planetary adventure going horrifically wro- well, it was like that when we got there, _but_ –you're safe.'

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling thoroughly emotionally exhausted, and when he opened them; his companion was looking at him worriedly.

'Am I, though?' Rose enunciated the words slowly and clearly, silently begging him to be truthful. He was, honestly, about to answer, but the question penetrated and his inner mixed feelings must have shown on his face, because her face fell.

'You know.' He didn't reply, just leant on the console rim and pretended to examine a read-out.

'I can't believe this.' At that moment, the ground beneath them shifted as the TARDIS powered up and landed within seconds. She raised an eyebrow at the glass-and-crystal column.

'Well at least someone's talkin'' She swept round the Doctor and shrugged on her parka (about half the time worlds turned out to be snow and/or ice) and headed towards the doors, completely stumbling the Doctor who was still blinking at the monitor.

'I- what- no, wait!' He ran to the doors after her, pausing to subconsciously go to don his coat, before remembering that he was wearing it and then starting up again so rapidly he nearly fell up his own Converse-clad feet in his haste. The Doctor burst out the TARDIS doors after Rose like a force of nature contained too long.

'Rose!' He skidded to a stop a metre from her, before actually taking in the surroundings and recalling not checking where they were. The place, anyway, was deserted. There was hill over dusty hill, scattered with rubble and small thorny bushes here and there. The image seemed familiar and echoed in the back of mind –and he instinctively knew something was _very _wrong.

They both froze, and Rose turned around ever so slowly. In the distance they could both hear a faint whistling.

'Doctor, I think we shou-'

She didn't get to finish her sentence because in a matter of seconds their world exploded around them, cloaking them in a cloudy hell of dirt and gritty sand. Just about_ everywhere_ reverberated with the sound of the detonation and she couldn't see her hand in front of her face for swirling sand. Rose cried out as she tripped over something and fell awkwardly on her knees, face down in the sand. There was yet more eerie whistling, growing closer and closer, ever louder. She felt the force of the Doctor's full weight as he fell on her back, clambering to shield her. His body pushed into hers as they toppled forward from the sheer energy of the next blast, and he grunted as he bore the full brunt of it.

Rose felt her vision clouding with black, ears ringing with the booms –or was that more of them? Just before she passed out she heard the Doctor's agonized scream. It was something that would stay with her forever.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It seemed for an eternity that the world passed. When she was finally conscious again, the air was clearer, but everything was too bright to look at, so she fell back into the darkness with gratefulness. The next time Rose woke up because her left arm had gone dead from sleep. Now she could stand to look around at her surroundings a little more, but the colours were out of sorts and blurred round the edges. She then noticed her arms and lower legs were bare, so a certain someone (or some_thing_) had changed her out of her presumably wrecked shirt and trousers. Beneath her was a rough, scratchy fabric –supposedly her bedding- and what felt oddly like straw under the thin layer. She blinked groggily; the lights hurting her eyes as she struggled to focus. It didn't help that it felt like somebody had been at her head with a sledgehammer and her throat burned too, tasting of an unfamiliar chemical. She smacked her lips, trying to clear the taste and squinted round again, trying to dip her head away from the intruding lights. Had she been drugged?

Suddenly, a rather large shadow passed over her, followed by another. The two merged, Rose only seeing squiggly outlines, and large, owlish eyes looking down at her. The mysterious pair began to talk, chittering and clacking. It sounded like plastic? No, it seemed more organic than that. Knowing her luck, it could be a giant gelatinous blob…

Her stomach roiled with nausea and the aliens watched as she slumped, face into the makeshift bed to block out the lights that now burned; groaning as the sick feeling become more intense. One of the things clacked and crowed, and the other answered, shuffling about. And then the penny dropped.

She couldn't understand them.

Was the Doctor hurt –was that why? In fact, _where was the Doctor_? She began to panic, looking around agitatedly despite the urge to vomit becoming almost blindingly unbearable.

Her throat tore as she tried to call out 'Doctor!' and her gorge rose, churning like the waves of a boisterous ocean. There was barely any noticing in the haze of queasiness and dread that her arm was seized in cold, clawed hands and a needle plunged into her artery.

Somewhere hidden not far from where Rose was, a feathered figure skulked between buildings. Its talons clacked on the mossy stone floor and the metal of its plated armour jangled together with each step. It stopped behind a thick row of balustrades and twitched its feet impatiently, scanning around. The rustle of more feathers sounded as something landed nearby and it hunkered down, crest feathers standing up in warning to the intruder. The figure stopped and then came running over in a flurry of feathers and claws. The creature noted the designation of its colleague by its armour, which was leather rather than his intricately-carved metal plates. He sighed in irritation and pulled the younger boy over.

'Did the Nameless teach you _anything_ about stealth in those classes of yours, Yera?' He hissed under his breath. 'Or were you too busy with your head in some scrolls all that time?'

The younger creature named Yera had an expression that closely mimicked that of abashed guilt, and he looked away as he patted his wing feathers down, brushing dust from them. He straightened up and looked him in the eye, but said nothing.

'So,' he began, 'what did the outer tribes say?' Yera was a messenger to the Nameless, and he, Peleg, was more like a mole. Well, they were both moles, really, working right under the noses of the E'loda, and even their own council. Still, it paid handsomely, and with luck, all would be over soon and they would be the pure ones on this land.

Yera glimpsed around them, worrying his beak. Peleg rolled his large eyes. "There's a reason why I told you to come here. I wouldn't ask you to reveal such information in the town square, now would I?"

'Yes, Peleg. I do know that, it's just…I-'

Peleg felt his ire rising. He'd been hatched with a feisty temperament and his mother said he'd always had a short fuse, as it were.

'Look, are you working for the Cause or not?' He turned around sharply with a swish and flexed his battle claws in order to eke out some of the tension.

'Of course I am!' Yera retorted indignantly, his crest fluttering, flashing spots of red at him in a repeatedly dazzling on-off pattern. He stared the older male down, until they both broke apart at the sound of another creature joining them. Peleg ignored his lesser and leaned forward, easily spotting the familiar ruffled head-feathers of his friend and feeling hope bloom deep in his keel.

This one, a female, trotted neatly over, tucking her wings in. She raised her shorter, scruffier crest in greeting and bowed slightly. 'Peleg.' She nodded. 'Yera.' She bowed to him too and Peleg narrowed his eyes at the act.

'So, my dear Tyra, any news on the southern front?'

'Yes, we believe we saw two outsiders land in the dry fields in some kind of sky-ship. Unfortunately _they_,' she draw her downy neck in and spat the word, 'got there first. Chemicals were used, and I'm not surprised if the outsiders were blinded or even killed. Probably thinking it was us,' she added thoughtfully. Peleg made a noise deep in his throat that was like a growl and his crest flattened.

'I've had enough of their cheek-'His voice rose and Tyra looked pointedly at him, eyes warning. Then there was a scuffle of sorts over to their left and they all froze and squatted down close to each other. Yera whispered, 'So do we know of their plans yet?' His friend looked downcast for a moment, and then she looked at him boldly. 'Not really, but we think Ray'theth is part of the Cause.'

'Ray'theth? What, the tawdry little defect of a traitor on _their_ side?' Peleg clacked his beak in derision and nearly laughed, had it not been for Tyra's glare and their ever-pressing need to be quiet.

'Look, I'm not sticking up for her. But she is of the lineage of the Nameless-'

'Yes, she looks more exactly like us!' Yera pitched in, this time earning a look from both of them.

'But,' Tyra continued, lowering her voice, 'from what I've heard, nobody even knows, save the few. She's just a commoner over there.' They all fell silent, pondering the thought for a minute, but not before someone just over the way called out and they scrambled in alarm, rushing to take off.

'Drat, Peleg! I thought this area wasn't been monitored!' Tyra squawked at him over the whistling of air as they all flapped upward. Peleg went to shout back but a mass landed on top of him, and claws grasped at his back, forcing him to plummet downwards. However, none of them were expecting the figure to then pull the shocked Peleg back up by his armour, laughing.

Peleg managed to stammer, barely recovering: 'W-wait, I k-know that that sound anywhere!' He looked up, just as the mass let him go, and he stuttered back into flight. 'Rou, you rascal, you!'

Rou cackled again, and the others groaned. 'Got you again! That's the third time this solar season!' Peleg shook his head and glided ahead, Tyra and Yera taking the back of the formation.

'Hey, an update for ya!' Rou swerved in front, his smaller frame make him speedy and fast in response. 'Medical have taken back one of the outsiders, apparently. A male, we think. And he's badly hurt. Reported to be a tear grenade to the _face._' His expression clouded. 'Why are they so- so _savage_?' He soared in further along, shaking his head.

The others raised feathery brows at each other, and, heading towards a familiar hilly region landmarked by a cluster of impossibly tall trees, wondered what lay in store for them back at camp.

Rose had finally come to once more and had been just lying down for some time now, slowly adjusting to the waking world, feeling creeping back into her arms and legs. So far there had been no 'visitors' so she had got a good look around. She appeared to be in some sort of hospital or other. Well, it was scrupulously clean and white (which at least explained the blinding lights) and there were other small beds like the one she was on. But she was the only one in the room and apart from strange noises outside, it was silent.

And then there was the case of her Timelord friend. She wasn't about to go into hysterics about his absence; he was bound to be somewhere around here. Of course if he was somehow on the other side of the planet, well, that made her slightly more worried, but things like that had happened before. This didn't stop her mulling over all the possibilities, though. Whatever had hit them, it had given her one hell of a headache, and a gash she could feel on the side of her head. Rose shivered, the echo of his pained scream replaying over and over in her mind. What if…what if he was d-

The doors banged open to her left and as she jumped, she inhaled and her sore throat protested, leaving her struggling to sit up, spluttering and coughing all the while. One of the creatures she'd seen earlier gasped and hurried over, its feet _click clack clacking_ on the smooth white floor.

Oh dear, oh dear,' it muttered, scrambling over to a nearby unit and prepareing something. Tears streamed down Rose's cheeks and she doubled over and hacked violently, desperately trying to stop potentially choking to death. Then a small glass was thrust under her nose and a clawed hand gently guided her head back as the thing urged her to drink.

'Easy there! Take this,' the thing Rose was now sure was a she soothed at it tipped the glass. Never more grateful for the cold, sweet-tasting water that was offered her, she began to gulp it down in relief, only for it to be pulled away just out of reach, and for the alien to reprimand her with a, 'No, no, not too fast!' She drank slower, and when the glass was pulled away and the creature, which was heavily feathered and had winged arms, went back to the unit.

Even though she felt better, her head still throbbed and she groaned as a dizzy wave hit.

'Oh…my head,' she moaned in self-pity, slumping back into the covers.

The bird-like female made a strange, bubbly trilling noise and turned around. That'll be the concussion grenade.'

Rose's stomach plummeted down to somewhere near her feet. She froze.

'…Grenade?'

The bird-alien came over to her again, looking sympathetic. Well, close to the human version of the expression; it looked more ancient bird-raptor than anything, standing on two long, scaly legs ended in lethal-looking talons. Its face was more downy than the feathers on its wing-arms, like on its neck and upper legs, and the ridges of what could be eyebrows sprouted longer feathers, in addition to the elegant crest folded back on its head, spotted with lines of brilliant purple to match its iridescent blue body. She also sported a plain, tunic-like garment and Rose noted, with some nausea, the small animal skull that hung on a thread along with beads around its neck.

'Yes, you were attacked by the other side. You and your…friend.' She looked sadder now. 'You made good recovery. But –pardon me for saying so- I fear your friend may not have fared so well…' She looked away and then back quickly. 'I'm sorry. My name is Ray'theth, by the way.' Then she quietly left the room.

''M Rose. Rose…Tyler.' Rose was looking away; hand still on her face where it had been cradling her poor aching head. She spoke slowly, stunned by the news, not wanting in the slightest to accept it. But something told her she must.


	3. Chapter 2

Bit of backstory here that is quiiiite important. There'll be more with the Doctor soon ;) Thanks you for the comments so far!

Chapter 2

Of course she was in some kind of shock for a minute or so, but Rose wasn't about to just sit and wait and bloody not do anything like some kind of distressed damsel. She was a Tyler after all. And the memories of their earlier quarrel had gone from her mind – she just want to see him (naturally, because it seemed he was far worse off than she had been) and _be_ with him. Even if things never really got discussed. Because, to be honest, that was enough for her. And that motive was enough for her to get out of the bed, half-run half-walk to the end of the room where she met a pair of tall, imposing double doors. But figuring her new friend was probably quite a bit away, Rose picked up speed, holding her loose-fitting tunic to her because it didn't quite fit, and coming into a long, marble-walled corridor. It was rather dim, and torches flanked the sides in alcoves.

'Um, Ray'theth'? Rose called down the corridor and listened as her voice echoed off of the stone.

'Can you tell me where the D- my friend is?' She called again.

Then there was faint clicking and, naturally thinking it was the bird she'd been calling, she walking fast toward it, noting that there were no windows in this place. However, she stopped just short of the other person slash bird creature, which was evidently different from Ray'theth. It looked down at her because it was quite a bit taller, and stood more upright. In fact, it looked like a human with very birdy-like features – perhaps a genetic experiment gone a bit wrong because he/she looked a bit odd. It had smaller eyes that were the grey of a gull's wing, and instead of a beak it possessed a sharp, hooked lip and a slight nose that seemed more serpentine than avian. It had wizened facial skin _(fur?) _and greying features. Well it was clearly aged, and continued looking down at her with an expression of disgust.

The expression instantly fired a wave of memories of her childhood in London, the way she'd supposedly had a 'lesser' upbringing, and other things she'd rather keep hidden because it was silly anyway (even though the Doctor had explained the concept of classes and ranks being a universal thing). Labels, that's all that they were. But it had been hard, and, to an extent, it still was, being looked down upon. And, naturally, reacting to the alien's reaction to _her_, she opened her mouth to retort, honestly not really caring if it got her into more trouble. No-one deserved any sort of prejudice. But the only reason she didn't carry on with a bitter reply was the sight of Ray'theth herself, summoned by this pompous git (_did she mention something about not being prejudiced? Oh, well he was being an arse anyway)_ hurrying herself towards them, wings clutching at some scrolls. She ground to a halt before them, and then actually bowed to said pompous git, breathing heavily. He spoke first.

'Ray'theth, would you kindly remove your…' he looked at Rose was that repulsion on his stupid birdy face that made her palms itch, "_patient_, and return it to the infirmary?"

Rose bristled. It?_ It?_ Ray'theth sensed the tension and walked over, standing a little in front of her, but Rose wasn't sure whether to be grateful or insulted. Also, whatever she had been dressed in, it was awfully itchy…

'I am sorry, Lord Depeth. I had to go to the infirmary records room to check some things and-'

The older bird sighed irritably (and she now knew she definitely disliked him) and brushed off her comment.

'Please don't let it happen again. Things are quite busy at the moment; we're being _spyed_ on, people are revolting in our own ranks…' He sighed again and, turning to a window and placing a clawed hand on it, continued with a weary, 'Things have never been quite this bad…'

The sudden whiplash change in his mood made Rose dizzy, and it had her feeling quite anxious about her safety here. She had no idea _where _she was, and the additional fact of the Doctor's whereabouts apparently not being known either made her feel sick. She leaned against the cool wall, tipping her head back and staring until her vision blurred. Ray'theth was calling her and she noticed that the Lord what's-his-face had gone. Her stomach growled.

'We'll be having noon supper soon. You're welcome to join us.' Rose contemplated this, just hoping there wouldn't be any more arrogant natives…

'It is just my mother, and her hatchlings.' Ray'theth smiled. 'We can tell you more about life here. Maybe she will even let me explain our revolution, although…' She looked saddened.

'S' okay. I'd just be glad to eat!' Rose grinned. 'Although…where exactly is _here?_'

Ray'theth looked at her oddly, and Rose found this odd, because it wasn't like she exactly _looked_ like them. Maybe they had humans or humanoid aliens here?

'You're on Tartun. And…I've heard of humans, but I didn't know they had knowledge of space travel yet…'

'I- we do. Just not like the Doctor does. He's not human.'

'Oh. I see.'

'The Doctor bein' my…friend? I mean, when you, or whoever, rescued me, didn't you get 'im?'

Ray'theth _hmmmed. _'I was made aware of both of you, but I checked the records.' She pulled a scroll out as they walked back down the corridors and scanned it. When they got through the infirmary doors she laid down the scroll on a nearby cabinet and pointed to a spot on the yellowed paper.

'There. Human, female. Brought in the third solarmini hour'. It seemed to be registry of some kind, in scrawled text. It seemed the trademark of messy handwriting among doctors, nurses and medical staff was universal…

'No record of a male other than our own, and that was twenty solar days ago' She rolled it up and tucked it under her feathered arm. 'And our infirmary is mostly for hatchings; injuries and sickness are quite rare on Tartun.'

'So if he's not here…d'y'know where he could be?' Rose then realized something, a missing detail. 'How'd you know he was…y'know badly hurt?' She struggled to get the last two words out, throat strained.

'Oh! I'm sorry if I gave the impression he was here. The scouts just gave me details of the grenades used… And…there were others there.'

Rose sat down on her bed, playing with the threads of the thin comforter.

'Others?'

Ray'theth inhaled deeply, and looked as if she was bracing herself to tell something particularly unpleasant. She sat down on the bed opposite Rose, and began.

'From what I was told, in the beginning Tartun had one family, descended from a line of gods. We lived peacefully and happily in large tree-houses in the Meara Forest. Resources were plentiful, and every year we celebrated the Birdsong. Then… one day, one Tartun was born with unusual intelligence. And his daughter after him, she –she was… different. The elder Tartun lived for many years and even outlived _his_ elders. He was then titled as the Nameless. However he decided to use his prized power of thinking and inventing for the bad, and split the Tartun. One large family was forced to live on the ground, and had to find new ways to survive. They, now called the E'loda, changed over the years and became less like their other family –the original Tartuns. The Nameless…he despised their origin and named them the Tyra'neth. And we cannot agree. So we can only agree to fight for what we do not have to fight for…'

Rose sat, now a bit numb, and her hunger forgotten as she took in the tale. It was a bit obscure but the rather tainted history of Tartun was clear. It sounded quite political. Ray'theth paused for a minute as Rose sipped the rest of her water, and then continued.

'The Nameless realized his wrongs, and set up a marriage pact to reunite the two clans. But…it did not succeed, and, not knowing what to do, fell back into his wrongdoings and despair. No one has seen him since, and war continues to rage across our once beautiful planet.' She stood up and stared out the window that was above Rose.

'Where you were collected from…that used to be the Meara Forest.'

Rose was stunned. From what she remembered of it, the place had been abandoned, with nothing but sand and dry weeds –not lush and green and full to the brim with trees.

'Wha- what 'appened?' Rose dreaded the response, the expectation of it sitting heavy in her gut.

'It was set fire to.'

'Oh…my God. I'm so sorry.'

'I was just a hatchling. I could not form words or sounds or care for myself, but all I remember was the colour of those flames.'

They both sat in silence, and she didn't know what to say to her clearly traumatized friend, who had her downy head bowed and her hands clasped in her lap. Rose felt just on the side of terrible for asking Ray'theth to share her shocking backstory. She didn't want to say anymore, even though her primary reason for speaking to her again was to find out where the Doctor was. Now it would just be unkind to ask.

When she next looked up, Ray'theth was heading away, her tail dragging on the floor. Rose barely heard her 'I will be back for you shortly,' as she quickly left. Feeling the exhaustion of everything weighing down on her, Rose lay down on her side, legs tuck in, and quickly fell into a fitful sleep.

His body felt far away from him, and everything hurt. He had woken sometime after the blast, but didn't open his eyes because they felt like they were on fire. He could hear the sound of an engine, and the ground moved beneath him. He felt nauseated and rolled over on his side, feeling weightless. Some crowed somewhere near him. Then voices. Rose? _Rose?_ Was she here? He had to…healing coma –_no: Rose!_ Every cell was screaming at him. He had to (must find Rose) _Sleep. _Then he slipped back into the beckoning darkness, his vision spotting with white, and didn't wake up for a long time.

Peleg stopped in front of the stately building with Tyra and Yera in tow. Guards with shadowed faces flanked the large, ornate doors, standing by wooden pillars. This house was made out of only the finest wood, the now rare Amoborra wood, the strongest on the planet, but lightweight enough to be supported by the trees. Feeling jumpy - but of course, as ever, not wanting to show that – put on a brave face, stood tall and gestured to the pair to follow him through. They traversed a long corridor with designs carved on the floor beneath him, signs he has only seen in ancient scrolls, pertaining to their earlier ancestors and their life before the Fall. Artwork decorated the walls, also depicting history and landmarks he had only read about. The Meara Forest, and the Crucible when it had first been built. Yera noticed there were no paintings of the Nameless. Apparently no-one was allowed to see him fully. His mother had told him it was because the Nameless was practically a god, and deemed not one Tyra'neth –or E'loda if they ever got over this side again- should see his form.

They reached another set of doors with some odd inscriptions on it, and stopped before it. The guards outside had apparently followed them and were watching closely, their darkened faces unnerving Yera. He swallowed and shuffled on the spot, moving backwards, and just about squawked in surprise when Peleg shoved him forward with one wing.

'Wha..?' He gaped at them both.

'Ladies first,' Peleg smirked, earning a glare for himself, and nudge from Tyra. He then looked annoyed for a second, sighed crossly, and spoke rapidly.

'Well, he hasn't been yet! And it's not like we're all going in anyway…'

As soon as Tyra replied, 'But you have to be so curt about it,' Yera hissed another stunned 'What?'

Peleg rolled his eyes and nudged his lesser with his foot. One of the guards growled.

'We'll be outside. Remember your manners, be concise, and be clear. It will be fine,' Tyra reassured a now slightly trembling Year. He turned away from them, gulped, then knocked on the door, and entered. He could tell the room was large, because his footsteps echoed, but it was very dark and he squinted about. The doors shut silently behind and he tucked his wings in tighter, feeling anxiety and fear begin to roll through him in hot and cold waves.

Something squeaked and then made an indecipherable noise to his left somewhere; Year whipped his head around trying to place it, wishing he wasn't wearing his armour, light as it was, it now felt oppressive, drowning him. The noise sounded again and he noticed a blue glow that hadn't been there before, and he walked towards it, head cocked curiously, never minding that it could be a trap or something.

'So,' a crackly voice drawled, making Year gasp and jump, 'you are one of those new recruits…' It sounded thoughtful, and the occupant of the voice sounded like he had been gargling glass all his life. And what a long, long life Yera knew that was.

'Y-yes, your lordship,' he stammered. No one actually ever called him the Nameless when addressing him. He was just…no-one. Yet everyone knew him, and nobody had seen him.

'Hmmm. And I am to believe our raids are going undetected?' Yera's eyes narrowed in the darkness at what he thought was just the slightest sardonic hint to his tone. Still, he replied, reminding himself to actually _breathe._

'Well- I…' He tailed, heart beginning to thud.

'I'm sorry?' He heard a rustling of feathers and of fabric, many layers of heavy (and probably expensive) karra-worm silk and the best cotton.

'I said that, yes, we were undetected. We had reports of outsiders landing and we have taken one captive.' There, he felt better now.

'Do I detect some pride in your voice, Yera?'

Well, there went his confidence.

'I…don't understand what you mean,' he replied, nervously, stepping forward even though he knew not what just what was before him. Then the blueish glow clicked on towards him, and he shook as he saw the outline of a wickedly sharp beak, scratched and on the side of gnarled with time's battle.

'There were two. So why do we not have both?'

The Nameless leaned forward from wherever he was and Yera caught sight of his large, penetrating eyes. It was still dark, and there only other thing he could make out was the fluff of his face, which appeared very white despite the eerie blue wash on his face. But there was no mistaking that his eyes were like unlike any other E'loda he had ever seen. His irises were gone, and the colour around them was – well it was red. No –Yera squinted- it was…pink. He let this sink it, still staring, at which he composed himself, fluffed his feathers and stared at the floor.

'_Why?'_ Yera felt very much confused, at it seemed the Nameless (and now not so unseen –what was he going to tell everybody?) was not mocking him, he seemed genuinely interested.

'I was told…the other side got there before we did.' He felt bolder, and spoke up. 'We will send out scouts to take back what is ours!'

The Nameless sighed, and looked weary. Something Yera had never seen on a leader. Not even on his mother.

'I was told by, erm, Tyra –yes, that was her name, I think- that Ray'theth may be in it?' He then heard the Tartun go still, and his heart leapt. Time passed for a few minutes, time trickling ever so slowly, the galaxy seeming to complete its journey as his life drained away in those agonizing moments before the Nameless, ever so quietly, then spoke.

'Please, leave my quarters.'

Yera wasted no time in doing so, but as he did so, he pondered something. Since when did the Nameless speak pleasantries to anyone?


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Doctor enters the story...though maybe not in the way we perhaps wanted...

* * *

When Ray'theth finally came back to the infirmary for Rose, she was relieved, and her headache had gone. She had spent the last forty-five minutes or so looking out the window, the one above the bed opposite her. She appeared to be right in the corner of a building, that joined onto another so it was a bit hard to see, but she was able to make out other aliens—_natives, _she reminded herself- that appeared closer in how they looked to that Depeth git. There were children too, covered in downy fuzz that made them look quite cute. The beak-lip and lack of a nose was still creepy, though.

Ray'theth offered her a change of clothes and Rose was presented, once again, with the fact that cultures could be very different: for example that of bodily image, self-consciousness, and, oh, dressing in front of somebody. She got over it, wondering just what the native thought of her lack of feathers. Anyway, once she had put on the decidedly less itchy tunic, she was lead out of the building into what looked like a town square (not unlike one she had seen on her many childhood visits to Tenby, although less…sandy).

They had been walking for about ten minutes now.

'You're like a, erm, bird, right? Why don't you just fly to where we 'ave to go?'

'I've heard that your species can run to great speeds. Why don't you run everywhere?'

She raised an eyebrow, and nodded, considering that point.

'Alrigh''

They walked through a quasi-alley where a market had clearly been, and there were still a lot of people. They stopped and looked at them –but not just Rose- at them _both._ A thought occurred to her.

'I don't wanna seem rude but, how come you look different to them?'

Ray'theth fixed her with those piercing eyes and stopped walking.

'I was told by the geneticists it was the loss of a gene. I am E'loda, but I just happen to look like Tyra'neth. It has happened before.' Her smile seemed put on, not reaching her large, bright eyes.

She started up again, heading for a cluster of houses ahead of them. It was getting dark, and the smell of sweet bread floated by her. Her stomach growled, and she knew Ray'theth was lying.

The house she was lead to was made out of a dark, fine-grained wood and still smelled strongly of the forest itself. There were no doors, but instead a beaded curtain that looked like it was from the 70s. A pair of yellow eyes belonging to a rather small creature peered up at them from behind the curtain –specifically peering at Rose. The child then looked behind it and ran off, at which another E'loda, more rotund than any she had seen so far and wearing an apron, stepped into sight. It squawked and then parted the beads in front, looking even more motherly, at which Rose felt a pang of loss. She missed her mum, more than she cared to tell the Doctor.

'Oh, a guest!' It exclaimed, ushering them in. 'Oh, this is quite exciting! We don't have many visitors.' She then scrutinized Rose, looking her up and down. 'My, my…'

'Mother ,'(_well that cleared things up, _Rose thought as Ray'theth spoke_)_ 'my friend here is a _human_.' She then looked confused and turned to her. 'I'm sorry, I don't believe I know how to say your name.'

Rose stifled a laugh, before enunciating her name quite slowly; however when they both said it back the 'o' in her name was perhaps not in their language, because it came out elongated and rather like an 'a' sound. But they just laughed at that.

'Yes, Rose was taken from the dry fields. We have yet to find her friend, who is…missing.' Ray'theth looked sadly at her, and her mother's expression clouded over as she spoke a soft 'Oh' of not-surprise, so it was clear she knew something that she herself didn't.

They were once again ushered into another room, plainly decorated and with a low-set table in the centre that was already set for dinner. The meal, once they sat down to eat, had a distinct oriental feel to it, for one there were no chairs and also no cutlery (save for chopsticks).The dishes were primarily some kinds of fish and long-grain rice that was much longer than on earth and almost looked like some kind of pasta. The fish dishes did almost all seem raw, however, and Rose was grateful to spot a bowl of broiled or possibly grilled (or something) fish to her right. She wondered why there was the only one like that as she took some of it.

Ray'theth's mother (who she'd worked out was now called what sounded like the word 'rear' or something, thanks to another bird in the kitchen-room) rolled her eyes.

'Oh, only Ray here eats that. She insists on _cooking_ the fish. Actually cooking it! Mad!'

Rose smiled wistfully behind a mouthful at the annoyed-but-not-really twang in the native's voice as it reminded her of Jackie again. Ray'theth protested in the same manner her mum had used,

'Well I think it may be healthier, I'm just saying…' They both tittered.

She finished eating, and pushed her bowl away.

'So, _Ray, _maybe after this you can show me how I can get to the Doctor, yeah?'

Ray'theth blinked and stared at her.

'My friend?'

'_Oh, _yes. Right. Erm, yes, I think that could be arranged.' However her tone was a bit shaky, her body language off and even her mother looked away. They finished eating in silence.

The afternoon after being knocked out had been (apart from boring) quite slow and restful, so when she was following Ray'theth as they snuck through the town, past buildings and down alleys –and at quite a pace too- Rose had to get her to stop. Catching her breath as she leaned in the alleyway, she spoke.

'Look, are we doin' something' wrong here? 'Cos I don't wanna get on anybody's wrong side again. And, if we _are_,' she sniffed, 'why it is wrong?'

Ray'theth looked jumpy and looked around her. Then she sighed in exasperation.

'No-one is supposed to leave the village. Unless you're a scout, of course.' She turned around and paced a bit.

'Okay,' Rose said slowly, 'I appreciate the help an' all…but why would you risk yourself like that? I mean, I wanna find the Doctor…but you could 'ave just said.' Her tone was friendly and imploring this time.

'Because…argh!' Ray'theth stomped and rushed ahead, knocking over a few empty crates. 'I want to help the situation. Goodness knows I'm actually considered _able_ to-' She cut herself off, and continued stepping back and forth, not caring that her claws scraped the ground. Rose looked on, worriedly.

'I mean, if we did go…how much danger would I be in?'

Ray'theth looked pained, and then frustrated. Her pace quickened.

'It's not you, it's actually _me_. We could, I mean I could say-' she let out another noise of frustration and rushed ahead again, sending a few odd feathers flying behind her. After a few minutes, she stopped, looking at if struck by a revelation. Then, with a look of resolve, she drew herself up, and looked pointedly at Rose.

'Right. We're going. This way.' She pointed with her feathers somewhere northwest of them, where a wall and turrets stood high up. Muttering at they started up a pace again, 'I don't care if he finds out, let him for all I care,' leaving Rose quite confused one more that day.

They scaled a large flight of stairs up to the wall. Other on the other side, greenery and dense forests stained the landscape. It was nothing like the dry, barren place she was now, and she wondered why these E'loda would actually choose to live in such a place when there was clearly a bountiful, fresh and lush place over the other side. Again, Ray'theth answered her unspoken thoughts.

'When the separation happened, naturally we were forced out. And the rest had been decimated, pilfered to the ground…so that's where we had to live.' She turned and looked sadly at Rose.

'The Tyra'neth…they live in tree-houses –not dissimilar to ones we all used to have.' She added, 'I've heard they've got better –more advanced, apparently.'

'So…what now?'

'Well, we're not quite at the top yet.' They both looked up, to where a large gate-like structure jutted out from the wall. It was well fenced off, and, by the looks of it, manned by guards.

'Just getting past those guys, yeah?' Rose prompted, crossing her arms.

Ray'theth didn't reply.

'Well, we don't know until we try, right?'

Ray'theth spoke so softly, more to herself than to Rose. 'But no-one is supposed to leave the city.'

By that point, her human friend was already scaling the next flight of stone stairs. Startled, she squawked her name and scrambled after her, nearly loosing footing in the process. As she once more scaled the wall, Rose felt the wood beneath her decidedly bare feet all the more. Her chest began to feel tight, which was odd. Okay, so she wasn't exactly the fittest person, but over a year of constant running with the Doctor (and sometimes _after_ him, come to think of it) had toned her. So when she reached the top, heart beating a violent tattoo in her chest and feeling light-headed, she didn't care about the birds that had now noticed her and had taken arms, standing stiff in posture and pointing at her threateningly with spears of some sort. She leaned against one of the turret posts and gasped for breath as Ray'theth joined her.

'Oh dear…The drug will make you very weak, Rose,' she said sadly, ignoring the guards and watching the pulse in her friend's neck jump rapidly.

'You…don't…say.' Rose breathed back. She then let out a burst of laughter, the situation somehow amusing, but not really funny at all. She also noticed how the guards were addressing Ray'theth. It wasn't much better than they had looked at her –steely glare under their visors and all that- but there was just that little kink in their body language that, once again, confirmed there was clearly something she didn't know. Something quite glaringly obvious.

And the next series of events passed in a bit of a blur. Her breath was once again snatched from her as her hands were seized. There was a mess of feathers and angry, frustrated commotion. Then, like before, she felt a cool object press into her arm. Before she could say 'Oi' the needle was in, and the contents of the syringe flooded her veins, and her world went black for the second time that day.

When she woke, she knew she was somewhere different. The air was fresh and sweet and there was a chattering of small animals in the distant. Someone was walking beside her, and she was lying down. The realization came quicker this time, washing away the quick spell of muddy confusion and nausea. She still had a headache when she sat up, however, and didn't quite noticed that the bird-alien next to her side was not Ray'theth. Which, come to think of it, wasn't necessarily a _bad _thing, given what had just happened. Right now, that girl deserved one right in the face for drugging her up without her consent. Clearly the guys on this planet quite get the courtesy of how to treat those that were aliens to them. She got to her feet gingerly. Maybe they all carried syringes for some reason.

Rose then really took in her surroundings. She, like before, was in some nondescript building. It was wooden, instead of the polished stone before. She tried the door. It was locked. The shock came when she looked out the open window and noticed that she was high up. Very high up. Probably about a good fifteen to twenty –and maybe even more – feet. Great. So was this planet of the blue alien people –like that film she couldn't remember the name of? Because there were other buildings- which could be described as none other than tree-houses- dotted the line of trees on this side, and it seemed to carry on right up to the line of horizon. A horizon tainted with an orange-pink glow as the orb of the sun began its morning climb. Rose frowned. So she had been out all night? The small area she had reserved for a bit of anger at Ray'theth threatened to boil over again. And now…she really did have to find the Doctor. She was truly sick of this. And by the looks of things, she was somewhere different. Hope bloomed in her chest, warm and comforting and tinged with excitement as she realized she might just find him here. And if not…she'd just keep looking.

The funny thing was, that was when the door rattled and then clicked, and her good (and annoying) friend Ray'theth hurried in. She was practically bouncing with energy and hurried over to Rose, clasping her hands in her cold, clawed ones. Rose flinched a little at the memory of what had happened the last time she had done that, and it now had a _delightful_ addition…Still she pushed aside her sarcasm for the moment and listened.

'Rose…I think we have found your Doctor.' She beamed this and giggled, dropping her hands and clasping her wings (hands?) together. Rose was stunned for the moment.

'Really'? She spoke slowly, not quite believing. She turned around and then spun to look at Ray'theth.

'You're not 'avin me on?' She narrowed her eyes at the bird.

Ray'theth's feathery brows crinkled, not understanding the turn of phrase.

'Oh..God. I can't…' The hope was back again, even stronger. Rose was suffused with a feeling that she didn't like to admit, that she could defer to the Doctor even though she told him she was capable herself.

'Well, let's see him then!'

'Bear in mind, he had just been taken in…to the infirmary.'

The hope and good feeling dropped like a stone in her and there was a wave of sick worry. She stammered, taking Ray'theth's wing firmly.

'Take me to him.'

And then they hurried out of the doors, along a series of rather precarious bridges. The locals that were basically identical to Ray'theth gave them both a wide berth. A child bowed to her.

They finally came to a building that just screamed 'hospital'. It was the last one of the link of houses, and seemed miles away from everyone else. The wood was much darker, almost black. Rose shivered at the look of it. Ray'theth told her to wait by the entrance and strode ahead to talk to a local dressed in something like blue scrubs. It would have been amusing, had it not been for the large ball of sick fear lodged in her stomach. She twisted her hands together, fidgeting with nervous energy. And she was like that for quite a long time. Ray'theth was directed from one native to the next, looking more and more bewildered each time.

Rose looked behind her, her chest tight. She needed some air. But she hadn't even move a foot before a gurney suddenly appeared out of thin air behind her, surrounded by staff. Her heart missed a few steps, blood running thickly with chips of ice.

There was no mistaking the long, lanky figure draped haphazardly on the gurney, even as he was bent over and examined. His eyes were thickly bandaged with cloth, which itself was dirtied and spotted with blood. His suit was pitted and torn with shrapnel, no doubt, and finely dusted with sand. He was drenched in blood and grit, and her heart sank at the sight, all worries of her own disappearing completely. It was then she shocked everyone in the vicinity. They watched as this strange, featherless alien took complete control of the situation. They weren't quite sure late why they listened.


End file.
